Razor blade dispensers



July 31, 1956 w. A. SHANLEY RAZOR BLADE DISPENSERS .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb'. 9, 1955 INVENTOR. Wa/fer A Sham/g5 6 luv-012m 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. Waher A Shara/e3 BY 6 ATTORNEY July 31, 1956 w. A. SHANLEY RAZOR BLADE DISPENSERS Filed Feb. 9, 1955 liJ United States Patent 2,756,548 RAZOR BLADE DISPENSERS Walter A. Shanley, Boston, Mass.

Application February 9, 1955, Serial No. 487,040

6 Claims. (Cl. 51- -158) This invention relates to improvements in razor blade dispensers and more particularly to such dispensers wherein an actuator is manually movable for ejecting individual blades from a supply within the dispenser. The invention combines with such dispensers means whereby the edge or edges of a blade may be eifectively lapped, or honed, or otherwise conditioned, as a result of manual actuations of the actuator which ejects the blades.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a razor blade dispenser having a manually actuatable means which is selectively operable to eject blades from the dispenser and to reciprocate a blade in contact with a bladeedge-conditioning member on the dispenser. According to the invention, a blade-edge-conditioning member is associated with the dispenser and the blade-ejector actuator has an extension portion which is selectively engageable with a blade which may be placed on said conditioning member whereby the blade may be reciprocated in edge-conditioning contact with the conditioning member in response to manual actuations of the ejector actuator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a razor blade dispenser having blade-edge-conditioning means thereon and having an actuator which is selectively manually operable for ejecting a blade from the dispenser or for reciprocating a blade in edge-conditioning relation to the conditioning means while the actuator is disabled as a blade ejector.

An important feature of the invention is its adaptability for embodiment in any of the conventional varieties of razor blade dispensers, with no substantial changes in the conventional structures but only relatively small additions thereto.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve razor blade dispensers and especially to increase the utility thereof by inclusion of a blade-edge-conditioning means in combination with a blade-ejecting means.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, in medial cross-section, showing features of the invention embodied in one conventional variety of double-edge blade dispenser;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the blade-actuating means in condition for ejecting a blade from the dispenser; I

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the combined. dispenser and blade-conditioner of Figs. 1 and 2; V

Fig. 4 is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 but showing the actuating means in condition for reciprocation of a blade in engagement with an edge-conditioning means on the dispenser casing;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a different type of blade dispenser having features of the invention embodied therein; I

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on line P6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the combined conditioner and dispenser of Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a dispenser of a type designed fordispensing single-edge blades;

" R 2,756,543 Ce patented July 31, 1956 Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of another variety of single-edge blade dispenser associated with a razor and having features of the invention embodied therein; and

Fig. 10 is an end view of the dispenser and razor of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, the Figs. 1-4 embodiment of the invention includes a conventional variety of doubleedge blade dispenser having a casing 10 defining an interior space within which a stack of blades 12 may be arranged with alternate blades projecting substantially in opposite directions beyond the end of a next adjacent blade in the stack, as best seen in Fig. 2. Interior rib elements 14 on the casing 10 maintain the staggered relation of the blades, and a spring 16 biases the stack toward an opening 18 in an outer wall of casing 10 so that a blade always is resiliently pressed against the casing wall which has opening 18 therein. Outlet slots 20 are provided at opposite ends of the casing through which blades may be alternately ejected. conventionally, the blades would be ejected from such a dispenser by a finger which would engage the blade exposed at opening 18 and slide the blade out through one or the other of the end slots 20. As represented in Fig. 1, the uppermost blade must be ejected through the slot 29 which is to the left and the next blade must be ejected through the slot at the other end of casing 10, because of the staggered arrangement of the blades within the dispenser.

According to the invention, however, a blade-edgeconditioning element 22 is mounted on casing 10, it being shown secured to the casing wall which has the opening 18 therein. Element 22 may be of glass or a suitable plastic, for example, formed to provide a concave surface at 23 on which a blade 12 (Fig. 4) may be placed and reciprocated to lap or otherwise condition its edges.

A carriage, indicated generally at 24, is slidably mounted on conditioning element 22' and carries a blade-ejector member 26 which is resiliently supported between the casing 10 and the element 22. Carriage 24 also carries a resiliently supported blade-engaging member 28 which is located above conditioning element 22 and which may be pressed into engagement with a blade 12' resting on the concave surface 23 of element 22.

Carriage 24 is represented as comprising two grooved members 30, 32 slidably engaged over the opposite side edge portions of conditioning element 22, with two generally parallel spaced rigid rods 34 connecting members 30, 32 together for unitary sliding movements along element 22. The blade-ejector member 26 is secured generally centrally of a spring element 36 whose opposite ends are secured to the slide members 30, 32, with member 26 constantly biased toward engagement with the uppermost blade 12 exposed at wall opening 18. A fianger pin 38 in a depending portion of slide member 32 is actuatable between its two positions shown in Figs. 2 and 4 respectively, for selectively elevating ejector memoer 26 out of engagement with the adjacent blade 12 in opening 18. Hence, when it is desired to eject the uppermostblade in the dispenser, the pin 38 may be pushed in, as in Fig. 4, and carriage 24 moved to its position of Fig. 3. The pin then may be pulled out to drop the ejector member 26 into engagement in the underlying enlargement of the blade slot, after which a movement of carriage 24 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, wiil eject the uppermost blade 12 through the slot 20 at the left hand end of the dispenser, as viewed in Fig. 3. Ejection of the next blade through the slot 20 at the other end Will be preceded by a similar shifting of carriage 24 to preliminarily locate ejector member 26 opposite the blade enlargement indicated at 40 in Fig. 3, followed by pulling out pin 38 and movement of carriage 24 to the right as viewed in Fig. 3.

The blade engaging member 28 is shown secured generally centrally of a spring element 42 whose opposite ends are fixed to the slide elements 36 and 32. The member 23 may be shaped to extend vertically between the rigid rods 34- and to be restrained by said rods against any appreciable movement relative to the rods in directions longitudinally of conditioning element 22, in all positions of member 28. Hence, when it may be desired-to condition the edges of a blade, the blade may be disposed on the concave surface of element 22. Pin 38 will be pressed inward, as in Fig. 4, to disable the blade ejector member 26. Then, the carriage 24 may be moved to position member 26 opposite an enlargement of the blade slot, following which member 23 may be depressed, to flex the blade against element 22. Member 28 may be held depressed by a finger while the carriage and blade are reciprocated relative to element 22. Following conditioning of the edges of the blade, the carriage may be moved to bring ejector member 26 opposite the proper enlargement of the slot in the uppermost blade in the dispenser and pin 38 then may be pulled out to its position of Fig. 2 to re-condition the dispenser for ejection of a blade.

Used blades may be inserted in the used-blade-compartment 44 in the conventional manner.

Figs. -7 show the invention as it may be embodied in connection with another conventional variety of dispenser for double edge blades. A wall of the casing 5'0 of this dispenser has a slot 52 therein, and a biade-ejector actuator 54 conventionally is movable by a finger along the slot 52 for blade ejection through an opening or slot 56 at one end of the casing. An interior spring 58 biases a stack of blades 12 within the casing to constantly maintain an endmost blade in the stack resiliently pressed against the ejector actuator 54. When the actuator 54 is moved to the right in Figs. 6 and 7 to the extreme end of slot 52, a shoulder $5 engages back of the right hand end of the adjacent blade, and a subsequent movement of the actuator to the left will eject the engaged blade through end slot 56.

According to the invention, a blade-conditioning element 66 is mounted on a wall of casing 50, it being shown mounted on the wall which has the slot 52 therein. The element 6% may be similar to element 22 of the Figs. 1-4 embodiment, with a concave surface at 61 on which a blade which is to have its edges lapped or otherwise conditioned may be arranged. A relatively rigid generally U-shaped element 62 has a central portion fixed to ejector actuator 5 with its U-arms 62, 62 extending upwardly to locations at opposite sides of conditioning element 66), as best seen in Fig. 5. The end portions of the U-arms may be rigidly connected together by the spaced pair of relatively rigid rods 64 which are spaced somewhat above the conditioning element 60. A bladeengaging member 66 is mounted centrally of a spring element 6% whose opposite ends are secured to the end portions of the U-arms 62, 62". Conveniently, the mem ber 66 extends between and is maintained by rods 64 against displacement along element 69 relative to the rods 64. However, member 66 may be pressed resiliently into engagement with a blade 12' resting, as in Fig. 5, on the concave surface 61.

Inasmuch as the blade-ejector actuator 54- must be moved to the extreme right hand end of slot 52, as viewed in Figs. 6 and 7, before it will engage back of an end of the adjacent blade for effecting ejection of that blade, the actuator may be freely moved and reciprocated without blade ejection so long as its movements do not carry it to the said extreme right hand end of slot 52. Hence, in Fig. 6, a blade may be arranged on the concave surface 61 of element 60, below the blade-engaging member 66, after which the member 66 may be depressed and held by a finger in engagement with the blade while the member 66, the engaged blade, U-shaped member 62 and the actuator 54 are reciprocated with movements which maintain the actuator to the left of the right band Cit end of slot 52, as viewed in Figs. 6 and 7, thereby to condition the edges of the reciprocated blade. A stop pin 79 may be threaded through a depending member 72 on element 60 for limiting movements of actuator 54 to the right when the pin is in its dotted position shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows one conventional form of dispenser for single edge blades, which may be interiorly much the same as the dispenser of Figs. 5-7. It has a wall slot 74 along which an ejector actuator 76 is movable for engaging back of the right hand end of the uppermost blade in a stack within the dispenser casing preliminarily to movement of the actuator to the left for ejecting a blade 12a as shown in Fig. 8,, Obviously, a conditioning element similar to the element 60 of Figs. 5-7 may be nounted on. the slotted wall of the dispenser of Fig. 8, and a generally U-shaped member generally similar to the member 62 of Figs. 5-7 may be connected to the actuator 76 of Fig. 8 for supporting a blade-engaging member similar to the member 66 of the Figs. 5-7 embodiment.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate the invention as it may be embodied on a conventional variety of blade dispenser with which a razor, indicated generally at 78, is adapted to be associated so that a blade ejected from the dispenser is delivered directly into the razor. The dispenser has a projecting tongue 86 which slides into a socket (not shown) in razor 78 whereby the razor head and the dispenser become separably fixed in alignment, so that a blade being ejected from the dispenser delivers into the head of the razor in a well known manner.

The casing of the dispenser in Figs. 9 and 10 has one wall slotted from end to end as at 82 although the slot does not necessarily have to extend from end to end of the wall. An actuator 84 is movable along slot 82 and is adapted to engage beyond the right hand end of the adjacent blade when moved to the limit of its movement to the right, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 9. A subsequent movement of the actuator as far as it will go to the left, in Fig. 9, will deliver the engaged blade into the razor head, ready for use when the razor is separated from the dispenser.

In this case, a blade conditioning element 86 is mounted beside the dispenser on a member 88 projecting rigidly from the dispenser as best seen in Fig. 10. Element 86 has a concave surface 87, and the actuator 84 has a rigid projection 9tl extending to a location relatively close to conditioning element 86. i A spring 92 has one end connected to projection 96 with resilient extent to a location opposite the concave surface 87 of element 86. A blade engaging member 94 is carried by spring 92, and member 94 is adapted to be pressed and held by a finger in engagement with a blade 12b arranged on concave surface 87 whereby the blade may be reciprocated in edgeconditioning contact with element 36 by reciprocating the actuator 36. As described in connection with the Figs. 5-7 embodiment, the reciprocating movements of actuator 84, during blade conditioning, must be confined to regions appreciably to the left of the dotted position of the actuator in Fig. 9, thereby to avoid blade ejection. Any suitable stop means (not shown) may be provided, if desired, comparable to the adjustable stop pin of the Figs. 5-7 embodiment.

In the Figs. 9 and lO embodiment, the conditioning element 86 may be mounted on a wall 88 projecting from the dispenser body, as shown, or might be mounted on a wall of a used blade compartment which sometimes is associated with the Figs. 9 and 10 type of dispenser. Also, the conditioning element 86, if desired, might be mounted to itself serve as one wall of such a used blade compartment.

In the Figs. 9 and 10 embodiment, the razor 78 constitutes a convenient and effective means for holding the dispenser while a blade. is being conditioned on element 86 and, following conditioning of a blade, the conditioned blade may be returned to the dispenser by removing the razor 78 and inserting an end portion of the conditioned blade into the delivery end of the dispenser while the stack of blades is depressed a little by a finger engaging the top blade through the slot 82. Then, the razor may be re-assembled on the dispenser to slide the conditioned blade fully into the dispenser as a result of the blade already in the razor engaging the projecting end of the conditioned blade. The blade in the razor is more securely held against slip as compared with the inserted conditioned blade, so that the blade in the razor can push the conditioned blade into the dispenser without itself being displaced from operating position in the razor head.

In the Figs. 5-7 and 9 and 10 embodiments of the invention, the resiliently mounted blade-engaging members 66 and 94 preferably have a yieldable blade-engaging portion, of rubber or the like, whereby said members may engage and frictionally grip a blade at any position along the blade for reciprocation of the blade on the conditioning element 60 or 86. Obviously, the actuator 26 and the blade-engaging member 28 of the Figs. 1-4 embodiment may be provided with similar yieldable portions if it be desired to avoid having to register the actuator and blade-engaging member with particular portions of blade slots. In such case, the actuator may, if necessary, be actuated a plurality of times to effect ejection of a blade to a desired degree.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, that I have provided effective means for conditioning the edge or edges of razor blades in combination with the conventional blade ejecting means of conventional blade dispensers. Obviously, various changes may be made in the disclosed details, and it is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combined razor blade dispenser and blade-edge conditioner, comprising a casing for holding a stacked supply of blades, said casing having an outlet through which individual blades may be ejected, a blade-edgeconditioning member mounted on said casing and having a concave surface on which a blade may be arranged, and reciprocable means associated with said casing and said conditioning member and operable selectively for ejecting blades through said casing outlet and for engaging and reciprocating a blade on said concave surface of said conditioning member.

2. A combined razor blade dispenser and blade-edge conditioner, comprising a casing for holding a stacked supply of blades, said casing having an outlet through which individual blades may be ejected, means defining an opening in a wall of said casing, spring means within said casing biasing the stack of blades toward said wall having said opening therein, a blade-edge-conditioning member mounted on said casing and having a concave surface on which a blade may be arranged, and reciprocable means associated with said casing and said conditioning means, said reciprocable means comprising a blade-ejecting actuator in said wall opening, and a resiliently mounted blade-engaging element opposite said concave surface of said conditioning member adapted to be pressed into engagement with a blade on said concave surface of the conditioning member whereby the engaged blade may be reciprocated on said conditioning member, and means for preventing blade ejection by said actuator when a blade is being conditioned by reciprocation on said conditioning member.

3. A combined razor blade dispenser and blade-edge conditioner, comprising a casing for holding a stacked supply of blades, said casing having an outlet through which individual blades may be ejected, means defining an opening in a wall of said casing, spring means within said casing biasing the stack of blades toward said wall having said opening therein, a blade-edge-conditioning member mounted on said casing and having a concave surface on which a blade may be arranged, a blade-ejecting actuator reciprocable in said wall opening, a blade-engaging member mounted resiliently oposite said concave surface of said conditioning member and adapted to be pressed into engagement with a blade arranged on said surface, means connecting said actuator and blade-engaging member for unitary movement when said actuator is reciprocated whereby a said engaged blade on said concave surface may be reciprocated thereon with reciprocations of said actuator, said actuator being disabled as a blade ejector when the reciprocating movements of a blade on said conditioner are confined within predetermined limits.

4. In a razor blade dispenser having a casing and a reciprocable actuator for ejecting individual blades from the casing, the combination therewith of a blade-edgeconditioning member mounted on the casing and having a concave surface on which a blade may be arranged, and means reciprocable with said actuator for resiliently engaging a blade on said concave surface of the conditioner whereby said engaged blade may be reciprocated in contact with said concave surface with reciprocations of said actuator, and means for preventing blade-ejection by said atcuator when a blade is being reciprocated on said blade-edge-conditioning member.

5. In a razor blade dispenser having a casing for holding a supply of blades and an ejector actuator reciprocable along a wall of the casing for ejecting individual blades, said actuator, at one limit of its travel, engaging back of an edge of the blade next to be ejected, the combination therewith of a blade-edge-conditioning member mounted on the casing and having a concave surface on which a blade may be arranged, a blade-engaging element element resiliently supported opposite said concave surface and adapted to be pressed into engagement with a blade on said concave surface, and means interconnecting said blade-engaging element and said actuator whereby an engaged blade on said concave surface may be reciprocated on said conditioning member with reciprocations of said actuator, said actuator being disabled as a blade ejector so long as said reciprocations stop the actuator short of the said one limit of its travel.

6. In a razor blade dispenser having a casing for holding a supply of blades and an ejector actuator reciprocable along a wall of the casing for ejecting individual blades,

said actuator, at one limit of its travel engaging back of an edge of the blade next to be ejected, the combination therewith of a blade-edge-conditioning member mounted on the casing and having a concave surface on which a blade may be arranged, a blade-engaging element resiliently supported opposite said concave surface and adapted to be pressed into engagement with a blade on said concave surface, and means inter-connecting said blade-engaging element and said actuator whereby an engaged blade on said concave surface may be reciprocated on said conditioning member with reciprocations of said actuator, said actuator being disabled as a blade ejector so long as said reciprocations stop the actuator short of the said one limit of its travel, and stop means adjustable between a position to permit movement of the actuator to the said one limit of its travel and a position wherein it stops the actuator short of the said one limit of its travel.

No references cited. 

